Tangy Lime Cookies

This tangy lime stuffed cookie transforms summer pie flavors into bite-sized treats - each one packs zesty citrus and smooth cheesecake filling for an amazing warm-weather snack.

I came up with these treats when I needed something cool to bring to a summer beach party. They got gobbled up so fast I barely got one! Now my friends ask me to make them for every get-together from spring through early fall.

What You'll Need

• Cream cheese: Gives you that rich cheesecake center go for the full-fat kind for the best taste
• Key lime juice and zest: Brings that zingy citrus punch fresh ones work best but the bottled stuff will do
• Butter: Makes your cookies both crisp and tender stick with unsalted so you can control the flavor
• White and brown sugars mixed: Gives cookies depth and keeps them moist
• Vanilla extract: Smooths out the lime's sharpness with its sweet notes

Making Your Cookies

Mix up your filling:

Blend soft cream cheese with powdered sugar until it's totally smooth. Stir in key lime zest and juice, making sure you only get the green part when zesting. Your filling should be smooth but thick enough to scoop.

Chill the centers:

Drop small spoonfuls of filling onto parchment and stick them in the freezer for at least 45 minutes. This step is key - it keeps your filling from melting into the cookie dough while baking.

Whip up your dough:

Beat butter, sugars and lime zest together for about 3-4 minutes until it's fluffy and pale. Mix in your egg, vanilla, and lime juice just until they're combined to keep cookies soft.

Mix in dry stuff:

Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt just until you can't see flour anymore. Don't go crazy with mixing or your cookies will turn out hard. Your dough should feel soft but not stick to your fingers.

Fill your cookies:

Roll dough into balls and make a dent in each one. Put a frozen filling ball in each hole, then wrap dough around it completely. Make sure the filling can't be seen or it'll leak when baking.

Bake them right:

Cook one tray at a time at 350°F for 9-12 minutes until the edges look golden. The middle will seem a bit undone but will finish cooking as they cool down.

I love drizzling local honey on these cookies right before I serve them. My grandma showed me this trick during our Florida vacation one summer, and the flowery taste of honey really brings out the lime in a way that's become my special touch.

Keeping Them Fresh

These will stay good in a sealed container on your counter for up to 3 days, though they'll get softer each day. You can keep them in the fridge for about a week, which actually makes the filling taste more like real cheesecake. Want to make them ahead? Stack them between wax paper in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw in your fridge overnight before eating.

Other Options

Can't find key limes? Regular ones work too, but the flavor won't be quite as strong. Need a dairy-free version? Try vegan cream cheese and plant butter, just freeze the filling a bit longer. Want to jazz them up? Throw some white chocolate chips into the dough for extra sweetness or mix in toasted coconut for a tropical twist. Got gluten-free friends? A good measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend swaps in perfectly.

Ways To Enjoy

These taste amazing when they're a little cool, which really shows off the difference between the cookie and filling. For fancy occasions, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and add some berries and mint on the plate. They go great with cold tea or bubbly water with citrus on hot days. Want to get fancy? Smash some vanilla ice cream between two cookies for an awesome ice cream sandwich, or break them up over lime sorbet for a broken-down key lime pie vibe.

Everyone will go crazy for these cookies - they look great and taste even better with that creamy, zingy center!

Recipe Q&A

→ Can I use regular limes instead of key limes?

For sure, regular limes work fine in this recipe. The taste will be a bit different since key limes are usually more fragrant and tart, but your cookies will still turn out really good with regular limes.

→ Why do I need to freeze the cheesecake filling?

Freezing makes the filling much easier to work with when putting the cookies together. It stops the filling from running all over during baking and makes sure you get that nice creamy center surrounded by cookie.

→ How do I properly measure flour for these cookies?

Your best bet is to weigh your flour with a kitchen scale or use the scoop and level trick. The dough should feel a bit more crumbly than normal cookie dough, but not too dry. Too much flour will make your cookies dry and hard.

→ Can I make these cookies dairy-free?

You can! The recipe mentions that you can use vegan cream cheese for the filling. Just don't forget to swap the butter in the cookie dough for a dairy-free option too if you want completely dairy-free cookies.

→ How should I store these cookies?

These cookies taste best when they're fresh, but you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them in a ziplock bag and let them thaw in the fridge when you want to eat them.

→ Why is it important to avoid the lime pith?

The white part under the lime skin is super bitter. If you zest that part too, your cookies will taste really bitter and the whole flavor will be off.